The Xuanwu Gate was very heavily guarded. Even though the eunuch who led the way had a warrant from Li Shimin, he was still allowed to go through strict inspection.
Entering the Xuanwu Gate, you will see an avenue nearly two feet wide.
The walls on both sides were more than two feet high, and there were imperial guards with bright swords and armor standing on them.
Lin Xuan looked at the mottled walls on both sides and the clean floors, and sighed. Several key political changes in the Tang Dynasty happened here. It can be said that every inch of the ground here is infected with blood.
Pass.
From the first Xuanwumen coup launched by Li Shimin in 626 AD to kill Prince Li Jiancheng and King Qi Li Yuanji, to Zhang Jianzhi's Shenlong coup to overthrow Wu Zetian and Prince Li Chongjun's Jinglong coup to overthrow Tang Zhongzong Li Xian, and finally to Li
Longji led thousands of cavalry officers and soldiers to rush into Xuanwu Gate, and executed the Tang Long coup of empress Wei and Princess Anle. Four military coups broke out in the Tang Dynasty surrounding Xuanwu Gate.
Although the Shenlong Coup and the Jinglong Coup took place in Luoyang, the Luoyang Imperial Palace was basically built in the shape of the Chang'an Imperial Palace.
Most of the buildings in the palace still bear the names of the original Chang'an Palace.
So, how important is Xuanwu Gate? Why did the four military coups of the Tang Dynasty all break out around Xuanwu Gate?
In the Tang Dynasty, the imperial palace was an important place where the emperor handled government affairs, went to court and lived in daily life. It was also the center of power of a country. The Taiji Palace and Daming Palace in Chang'an City and the imperial palace in Luoyang City were completely regulated.
They are all arranged along the central axis from south to north and are divided into the outer court and the inner court.
Among them, the outer court is where the emperor goes to court to meet ministers, handle government affairs, and hold banquets with ministers and envoys from various countries. The inner court is where the emperor and his concubines live. There are gardens inside the palace with beautiful scenery. The most important thing is
, whether it is Taiji Palace, Daming Palace, or the Imperial Palace in Luoyang City in the Tang Dynasty, the outer court is in the south of the palace city, the inner court is in the north of the palace city, the north wall of the palace, and the main entrance of the north wall are Xuanwu Gate.
It can be said that Xuanwu Gate plays an extremely important role in the security of the imperial palace, and even the emperor's own safety and imperial power.
If you attack the palace from other palace gates, you need to break through the outer palace gate first, and then you need to break through the inner palace gate. However, breaking through Xuanwu Gate can lead directly to the inner court. This is the reason why many coups in the Tang Dynasty took place at Xuanwu Gate.
At the end of the Tang Dynasty, when Zhu Wen forced Tang Zhaozong to move the capital, Chang'an was completely burned and destroyed.
Since then, Chang'an has never been positioned as the capital of subsequent dynasties.
Xuanwu Gate, a palace gate that left a strong mark on the history of the Tang Dynasty, also disappeared in the long river of history.
Although Lin Xuan saw the mottled and faded walls, walking among the Xuanwu Gate, he always felt a bit cold.
I don’t know if it’s because too many people died here, it’s full of yin energy, or it’s because of my inner feelings.
Entering the West Inner Garden, the eunuch who led the way said: "Consort, this is already the harem. It is possible to meet noble people. Please walk with your head down and don't look around."
When he met someone like Lin Xuan, his heart collapsed.
Normal people walk with their heads down when entering the palace. Who dares to look around?
Since Lin Xuan entered the Xuanwu Gate, he started to look around.
However, the rights of eunuchs in the early Tang Dynasty were very small. Even though he was the eunuch serving Li Shimin, Lin Xuan was not only the prince but also the consort, so he could not offend him at all.
So seeing Lin Xuan looking around, he didn't dare to say anything.
The inner court is different. Instead of the eunuchs and maids living here, the only ones left are the emperor's women and unmarried princesses. If he continues to look around, he will be in trouble when the time comes.
Now there are those scholars kneeling outside Zhuque Gate, and a large number of people watching.
Li Shimin was worried that letting Lin Xuan go through the other city gates would be discovered by the family's spies, and if they were blocked, it would be troublesome.
The Xuanwu Gate is the back door of the palace and is not a commonly used palace gate. It is very deserted, so Li Shimin let Lin Xuan enter the palace through the Xuanwu Gate.
"Don't worry, father-in-law, I understand and won't embarrass your father-in-law." Lin Xuan said.
Although he was walking in the inner courtyard, apart from meeting eunuchs and maids along the way, Lin Xuan really didn't see any concubines or princesses.
Exiting the West Neiyuan is the Tai Chi Palace, and the Ganlu Hall is one of the side halls of the Tai Chi Palace.
It didn't take long to arrive outside the Manlu Hall.
The little eunuch informed him, waited for a while, and after getting permission, he led Lin Xuan into the Manna Hall.
As soon as Lin Xuan entered the main hall, he saw Fang Xuanling, Sun Wuji, and other ministers of the court.
Lin Xuan sneered in his heart, these aristocratic families are really seeking death.
Is Li Shimin the kind of person who can be threatened?
Yes, although Li Shimin has been suppressing the aristocratic family during his reign, he did not raise a butcher's knife against the aristocratic family.
Compared with Wu Zetian who killed many family members, Li Shimin can be considered very gentle.
But Wu Zetian and Li Shimin are different.
After two generations of emperors Li Shimin and Li Zhi suppressed it, the family's power weakened a lot during the Wu Zetian period.
More importantly, Wu Zetian wanted to be emperor, but those aristocratic families could not support her, and she had to kill them if she wanted to ascend to the throne.
Kill until those people are frightened.
Li Shimin, on the other hand, sought stability and wanted to use relatively mild means to weaken the family.
But the clay figurine still has some anger.
This move by Shijia completely touched Li Shimin's bottom line.
Lin Xuan estimated that Li Shimin was anxious for these confidants to come over to discuss how to deal with the aristocratic family.
"Your Majesty, sir." Lin Xuan bowed and saluted.
"No gift."
Li Shimin waved his hand and said: "Because He Yu's disciples directly carried the coffin and knelt down outside the Suzaku Gate. Many scholars did not know the truth and knelt down with them. They asked me to execute you to comfort He Yu and the sages.
What do you think I should do?"
"Your Majesty, I am wronged."
Lin Xuan was not afraid. If Li Shimin really wanted to compromise with those people, he would have sent the imperial army directly to the door. How could he send someone to secretly bring him into the palace from Xuanwu Gate.
As for He Yu's claim that he felt he had insulted the sages and was so angry after returning home, Lin Xuan didn't believe it at all.
When he said it yesterday, He Yu didn't say anything. He was so angry when he got back. Isn't this nonsense?
Lin Xuan felt that He Yu probably committed suicide, and it was probably planned by a noble family.
To determine whether he died of anger is actually simple, just open the coffin and conduct an autopsy.
But He Yu's students would definitely not agree.
The dead are the greatest.
You can't let anyone force open the coffin.
I have to say that the family was really willing to spend money to deal with him.
Ordinary people, as long as they are willing to spend money, are willing to die.
But it is impossible for a great scholar like He Yu to agree to sacrifice his life just for money.
Unless the family promised him some conditions that he couldn't refuse.
"Where have you been wronged?" Li Shimin asked calmly.
"Your Majesty, I heard that He Daru is a frequent visitor to Pingkangfang. He is still so capable at such an old age. It can be said that he is getting stronger with age. Why will he be so angry?"
These were actually arranged by Lin Xuan. He Yu had lived in Shandong for a long time and had just arrived in Chang'an a few days ago. He could not be called a frequent visitor.